Antennas Tutorial

EEL 5432 Satellite Remote Sensing

Lecture -3a
Flux Calculations - Isotropic Transmit Antenna

F=
P t , W/m2
4 π R2
Sphere of radius = R

Range
 Flux Calculations - Transmit Antenna with Gain

P t Gt
F=
2
Sphere of radius = R , W/m
4 π R2

The antenna gain pattern redirects the radiation in a preferred

Direction, thereby increasing the radiated flux density by the
antenna gain Gt (power ratio).
 Antenna Gain Definition
• Peak gain is the max value of the antenna
radiation pattern (power ratio).

Gpk = (max flux density)/ (isotropic flux density)

The direction of the max gain is known as the

antenna boresight.
 Friis Transmission Formula - Isotropic Source

Range

Incident flux
density, F

Receiver

Received
power, Pr
Isotropic source
xmit power, Pt P r = F ∗ Ae , W
= Pt 2 ∗ Ae
4π R
where A e is the antenna
effective "capture" area
 Friis Transmission Formula - Directive Source
Range

Incident flux
density, F

Receiver

Directive source
xmit power, Pt Received
P r = F ∗ Ae , W power, Pr

∗
= P t G2 t ∗ A e
4πR
where A e is the antenna
effective "capture" area
Relationship between Antenna Aperture and Gain

Antenna directive pattern

4 π Ae
Gr = , power ratio
λ 2
Idealized Received Power - no system losses
2
 1 
Pr = Pt ∗ G t ∗ G r  
( )
R
 4π λ 

Power Received = EIRP ∗ Recv Ant Gain ∗ Path Loss

EIRP = Effective Isotropic Radiated Power = P t ∗ G t

2
 
1
Path Loss =  
( )
4 π λ 
R
Radiometer Antenna and Power
Measurements
 Radiometer Antenna Noise
Blackbody
Target
Antenna
Radaition
Pattern
Received
Blackbody
R power

Lossless
Antenna

Recv Pwr = Sur Emission * Isotropic Loss * Ae

Recv Pwr = Sur Emission * Isotropic Loss * Ae
• Surface Emission
• Blackbody emission = (4/λ )2 kT , W/m2/Hz
• Ant. IFOV area = π R2 β2 / 4 , m2
• Isotropic Loss
• = 1/ (4 π R2 ) , m-2
• Antenna Effective Aperture
• Ae = λ2 / β2 , m2

Pr = kT , W/Hz
If the receiver bandwidth = B, then
Pr = kTB , W
 Radiometric Received Power
• Pr = kTB
– K = Boltzmann’s constant = 1.38 e -23
– T = radiometric brightness temperature
= ε Tphys = (emissivity * physical temperature)
– Receiver bandwidth, Hz
• The received power is independent of the antenna
gain and is independent of the range to the surface
• The surface area from which emission is captured is
the antenna IFOV
– IFOV depends on both the range and the antenna gain
(beamwidth)
 Antenna Radiometric “Noise” Temperature

• All bodies above absolute zero degrees (0 Kelvin)

will emit non-coherent electromagnetic energy
continuously at frequencies from RF to Light.
• Antennas viewing natural surfaces will receive
this “black-body emission”
– In the RF & microwave freq region, the emitted power
= Boltzmann’s constant * noise temp. * bandwidth
• We define the noise temperature (Tantenna) as:
surface emission captured by antenna
Tant =
Boltzman' s constan t ∗ receiver bandwidth
 Antenna Noise Temperature, Tant

Apparent Antenna
“Radiometric” Radiometric
Temp, Tap Temp, Tant
antenna loss
@ Tphy

Lossless Antenna

Tant = T ap ∗ (lant ) + (1 − l ant )∗ T phy

Tphy = antenna physical temperature, Kelvin
Lant = antenna loss (gain < 1), power ratio